The International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (ITSO) is an intergovernmental organization with 149 member States. ITSO’s mission is to: (i) act as the supervisory authority of Intelsat Ltd.; (ii) ensure the performance of Core Principles for the provision of international public telecommunications services, with high reliability and quality; and (iii) promote international public telecommunication services to meet the needs of the information and communications society. The Core Principles of the Organization include, maintaining global connectivity and coverage; providing public telecommunications services, including capacity and price protection guarantees to “Lifeline Connectivity Obligation (LCO)” customers; providing domestic public telecommunications services between areas that are isolated or separated by geographic or natural barriers or high seas; and ensuring non-discriminatory access to Intelsat, Ltd.’s communications system.

A telecommunications engineer by training, Mr. Toscano has more than twenty five years experience in the telecommunications sector and has held management positions in both the public and private sectors as well as in regional and international organizations in this field.

His professional experience before being elected as Director General includes the position of Director of External Relations with ITSO and executive appointments within the National Regulatory Authority (ICP-ANACOM) and the European Commission, top-level management responsibilities with the private telecommunications sector in Portugal, as well as teaching assignments at various universities in Portugal. He has also been actively involved in the definition, development and work of numerous regional and international regulatory entities in the telecommunications and satellite communications fields in particular the ITU, EC, CEPT, and the GSM MoU, and is especially knowledgeable and comfortable working in a multicultural environment.